Material mixing guide



March 10, 1942. Q E WE|5`SERT 2,275,577

MATERIAL MIXING GUIDE Filed Nov. 20, 1940 INVENTQR. Herd/d f, M/e/.sgef/Patented Mar. 10, '1942 MATERIAL MIXING GUIDE Gerald E. Weissert, KansasCity, Mo., assignor to Sewall Paint & Varnish Company, Kansas City, Mo.,a corporation of Missouri Application November 20, 1940, Serial No.366,367

6 Claims.

This invention relates to portable apparatus' for use in mixing liquidsin thenature of paint, lacquer, varnish and the like, and has for itsprimary object the provision of a material mixing guide that may beassociated with a standard container and manipulated from time-to-timeduring the mixing operation to allow the operator to add predeterminedquantities of such liquids. l

One of the important aims of the instant invention is to provide amaterial mixing guide having compact, novel and effective means foroperably supporting a gauge rod whereby said rod may be set and held inplace to indicate when predetermined certain amounts of liquid have beenpoured into a standard container with which the guide is adapted foremployment.

A yet further object of this invention is to` provide a guide for mixingmaterials in standard paintcans for example, of either the pint, quart,half-gallon or gallon size, thus to permit a painter to blend colors andproduce a coating of desired shade without relying upon the paintmanufacturer to specially mix a small quantity of lacquer, varnish,paint or the like.

This invention has for a still further object to `provide a materialmixing guide that has a gauge rod uniquely mounted in supportingstructure that permits longitudinal, rectilinear movement of therodeither by directly grasping the same or through the manipulation of acrank-arm both without rotating the rod; that permits rotating the saidgauge rod without raising or lowering the same or effecting the positionof the aforesaid crank-arm; that permits completely removing the gaugerod from association with the remaining parts of the guide without theuse of special tools or the necessity of disassembly.

Minor objects of the invention will appear during the course of thefollowing specification, referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

. Figure 1 is a top plan view of a material mixing guide made'inaccordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the guide and a portion of astandard container.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 1;and

Fig. 5 is a stretch-out illustrating the relation of some of the partsof the gauge rod supporting structure.

In the art of mixing coatings such as paint or lacquer, the operatormust carefully blend a number of diierent shades of liquid to attain adesired result. Due to the expense and difficulty of having a smallquantity of paint or lacquer mixed at the factory, it is virtuallynecessary that some means be provided for permitting the blending ofcolors at the job. Simple, inexpensive and easy to operate mixing guidesare necessary therefore, and this invention contemplates the provisionof equipment that will be available to all painters and usable on any ofthe standard containers now marketed by the manufacturers of paint andlacquer.

The manner in which small fractions of given quantities of liquid may beadded to the standard containers with dispatch `and accuracy will beapparent to one skilled in the art, after an understanding of the mixingguide embodying the broad concepts of this invention and illustrated inits preferred form in the drawing forming a part hereof, wherein thenumeral S designates container of quart size.

The open top of container B has thereon a support 8 in the form of aplate, the underside of which `rests directly upon the annular edge ofcontainer 6. The weight of this support and associated `parts issuiiicient to maintain the guide in the operative position withoututilizing clamps or attaching means, but if such are found desirable,plate 8 may be equipped therewith.

This plate 8 is substantially semi-circular in form to the end thatapart of the open top of container 6 is left available for theintroduction of liquid I. An opening I2 through plate 8 receivespolygonal gauge rod Hl on the flat sides whereof is etched or otherwiseimprinted, graduations I6. More speciiically, rod I4 is formed of asubstance known as Lucite, the inherent light transmitting qualitieswhereof are such as to permit light to pass longitudinally through' itsbody but to preclude lateral escape of the light so long as the outersurface of the rod is highly polished. This rod I4 therefore, haspolished sides upon which graduations I6 are formed. In forming thegraduations I6, the polish is interrupted and therefore, light passesoutwardly therethrough to illuminate the same and to increase theirvisibility.

In the illustrated embodiment, rod i4 has four sides on one of which isimpressed graduations to be used when mixing in a pint can, while on theother three sides the graduations I6 are arranged for use when blendingcolors in a container 6 of a quart, half-gallon or gallon sizerespectively.

Rod I4 is slidably journalled in bearing I8, the nature of which issectional. One section of bearing I8, indicated by the numeral 28, isformed of brous material that may be compressed by drawing together theadjacent sections through the medium of screws or analogous means 22.Such compression will vary the frictional relation between fibroussection 20 and the sides of rodV I4. It will also vary the friction setup between the outer annular periphery thereof and the inner annularface of collar 24 which circumscribes bearing IB and upon the upper edgeof which shoulder 26 of bearing I8 rides when the. parts are assembled.

Pin 28 on bearing I8 extends radially into the inner annular groove 36provided in collar 24 and is introduced into groove 38 through passage32 in communication with groove 30 and terminating at the upper edge ofcollar 24.

Diametrically opposed notches 34 cut completely through the thickness ofcollar 214 and downwardly from the upper edge thereof to a point belowgroove 38, receive respectively pins 36 extending radially inwardly fromboss 38 which is secured directly tothe face of plate 8 by screws 48.

Sleeve 42 circumscribes collar 24 and has therein a specially createdspiral groove 44 accommodating pin 45 rigid to sleeve 24. The pitch ofgroove 44 defines the distance through which rod I4 may travel whencrank-arm 48, secured to sleeve 42, is manually manipulated.

Boss 3B is undercut to present an internal annular shoulder 58 overlyingthe upper edge of sleeve 42, to prevent its displacement during theoperation, as will be hereinafter more fully set down.

Support 8 has four scales carried by the upper surface thereof, overwhich passes crankarm 48 provided with four windows 52, 54, 58 and 58.Window 52 overlies scale 68 having indicia 62 to indicate the fractionsof an ounce when the guide is used on a standard pint container; scale64 has indicia 65 designating the fractions ofA an ounce when the guideis used with a'standard quart container; scale 58 has indicia 'I0indicating the fractions of an ounce when a standard half-galloncontainer Yis employed; and scale I2 has indicia 'I4 indicating thefractions of an ounce when a standard gallon container is employed. Apiano wire 'I8 passes through all of windows 52, 54, 58 and 58 toestablishy a Atrue center medium which is placed in alignment withindicia 62, 68, lil. or i4, as the case may be.

Assuming that a color is to `be blended in a standard container 6 of raquart size and that the formula calls for 26%/2 oz. of color A, l1/,1oz. of color B, and l oz. of color C.

Rod I4 is drawn through bearing I8 until the graduation designated bythe numeral 26 is in alignment with the top or outer face of bearing I8with crank-arm 48 set as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. lIn this settingpin 46 will be at the lower end of spiral groove 44. The operator thengrasps crank-arm 48 and while watching window 54, moves the arm throughpiano wire 16, in register wtih the indicia 66 designating 1/2 oz.

Rod I4 being of the material mentioned above, will transmit lightdownwardly into container 6 and render visible the numeral 26 neargraduation I5. Color A will be poured into container 6 until its surfacejust touches the lower end of rod I4. .A film of clear lacquer or oilwill overlie the surface of liquid I because a very small quantity isfirst poured into empty container 5, thus the end of rod I4 will not becoated with a material having pigment therein.

Before adding color B, the rod is drawn outwardly through bearing I8until the graduation designated by the numeral 3| is in alignment with lthe top of bearing I8 when crank-arm 48 is in the normal position. Whena sufficient amount of color B is poured into container 6 to reach theend of rod I4, after it has been so set, Li1/2 oZ. of color B will havebeen added to the mix whereupon the rod is again withdrawn until thegraduation opposite numeral 32 appears. Color C may then be added andthe three colors stirred in container 6 after removing the guide fromthe top thereof.

In each instance when colors A, B or C reach the end of rod I4, lightnormally passing longitudinally through the rod will be interrupted bythe closing off of one end, whereupon the entire rod I4 will be darkenedto signal to the operator that the desired quantity of color has beenpoured into container 6.

In some cases, it it desirable to clean the end of rod I4 and when suchis the case, rod I4 and bearing i8 are moved from the operative positionshown in Fig. 2, by merely turning bearing I8 to a point where pin 28thereof will pass upwardly out of groove 38 through passage 52. Suchconstruction insures that iibrous section 28 of bearing i8 will notbecome objectionably coated with paint or lacquer, for it is thegripping action of this section 20 which keeps rod I4 in place when itis moved longitudinally as above set down.

When crank-arm 48 is moved across the several scales on supporting plate8, notches 34 in collar 24 `engage pins 36 of boss 38 to preclude therotation of collar 24 and cause the same to move longitudinally alongthe axis of rod VI4 as sleeve 42 is turned about said axis. Sleeve 42cannot move longitudinally because it is confined between shoulders 55and the upper surface of plate 8.

The operator may turn rod I4 without disturbing the setting of crank-arm48, merely by grasping the rod and rotating both rod and bearing I4 yandI8 respectively, about their common axis, v

which action will bring the proper face of. rod i4 in front of theoperator. Such movement carries pin 28 around the axis While it remainsrMost of the component parts of the mixing guide may be made of plasticmaterial which insures a light-weight device and one that may be easilyformed in quantities at relatively low cost, and while the preferredembodiment has been illustrated and described, it is obvious to oneskilled in the art that many modifications might be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appendedclaims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A guide for mixing materials in a container, comprising a gauge rodhaving graduations thereon; a support; and means for adjustably mountingthe gauge on the support, comprising a bearing slidably journalling therod, a collar holding the bearing and having interconnecting meanspermitting relative rotative movement on the axis of the rod andsimultaneous longitudinal movement, and manually operable elements forimparting rectilinear reciprocating movement to the collar and bearing.

2. A guide for mixing materials in a container, comprising a gauge rodhaving graduations thereon; a support; and means for adjustably mountingthe gauge on the support, comprising a bearing slidably journalling therod, a collar holding the bearing and having interconnecting meanspermitting relative rotative movement on the axis of the rod andsimultaneous longitudinal movement, and manually operable elements forimparting rectilinear reciprocating movement to the collar and bearing,said elements including a manually operable, radially disposed crankshiftable in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the rod.

3. A guide for mixing materials in a container, comprising a gauge .rodhaving graduations thereon; a support; and means for adjustably mountingthe gauge on the support, comprising a bearing slidably journalling therod, a collar holding the bearing and having interconnecting meanspermitting relative rotative movement on the axis of the rod andsimultaneous longitudinal movement, a sleeve circumscribing the collarhaving a spiral groove therein, a pin on the collar projecting intothe'groove, and a manually operable crank-arm on the sleeve wherebyrotary movement of the sleeve Will impart rectilinear movement to thecollar, bearing and rod.

4. A guide for mixing materials in a container, comprising a gauge rodhaving graduations thereon; a support; and means for adjustably mountingthe gauge on the support, comprising a bearing slidably journalling therod, a collar holding the bearing and having interconnecting meanspermitting relative rotative movement on the axis of the rod andsimultaneous longitudinal movement, a sleeve circumscribing the collarhaving a spiral groove therein, a pin on the collar projecting into thegroove, and a manually operable crank-arm on the sleeve whereby rotarymovement of the sleeve Will impart rectilinear movement to the collar,bearing and rod, said sleeve being mounted on the support to precludelongitudinal shifting as the collar is so shifted.

5. A guide for mixing materials in a container, comprising a gauge rodhaving graduations thereon; a support; and means for adjustably mountingthe gauge on the support, comprising a bearing slidably journalling therod, a collar holding the bearing and having interconnecting meanspermitting relative rotative movement on the axis of the rod andsimultaneous longitudinal movement, and manually operable elements forimparting rectilinear reciprocating movement to the collar and bearing,said bearing having a brous section therein in wiping engagement withthe rod to preclude accidental longitudinal shifting.

6. A guide for mixing materials in a container, comprising a gauge rodhaving graduations thereonia support; and means for adjustably mountingthe gauge on the support, comprising a bearing slidably journalling therod, a collar holding the bearing and having interconnecting meanspermitting relative rotative movement on the axis of the rod andsimultaneous longitudinal movement, and manually operable elements forimparting rectilinear reciprocating movement to the collar and bearing,said bearing having a fibrous section therein in wiping engagement withthe collar to preclude accidental` rotary movement of the bearing.

GERALD E. WEI-SSERT.

